A distinguished career on both sides of the public service fence

AS a poacher turned gamekeeper, Ombudsman and Information Commissioner Kevin Murphy, who has announced his retirement, has been on both sides of the public service fence. He has in fact partially succeeded in breaking it down during his distinguished career.

The 66-year-old Dubliner, born in the Dolphin's Barn area of the city, could not afford to attend university when he left school and instead joined the civil service, though he would later obtain a degree in economics.

He rose steadily through the ranks , reaching the position of Secretary of the then Department of the Public Service in 1983, remaining in charge of the Public Service following that department's merger with the Department of Finance in 1987.

As the Government's lead negotiator in public service pay talks for almost 20 years, he was responsible for bringing the trade unions into national wage agreements during difficult economic times.

He also chaired the Top Level Appointments Committee which advised the Government on appointments to the highest levels of the civil service.

In 1994, he succeeded Michael Mills to become the country's second Ombudsman, and quickly dispelled fears that his natural loyalties would lead him to be overly protective of the public service.

Despite a long history of shaping the very Government bodies and agencies about which he was now receiving complaints , he was not shy in speaking out about their shortcomings.

In 1997, he criticised State bodies for failing to handle disputes in a non-confrontational manner, and warned that injustices which had become endemic in the public service were alienating citizens from the State.

While still retaining the post of Ombudsman, he was appointed the country's first Information Commissioner in April 1998, to adjudicate in disputes over the then newly-enacted Freedom of Information legislation, to ensure public bodies were complying with the legislation in spirit and in practice.

On his first day in office, he acknowledged that requests for access to records would present public bodies with "complex and difficult decisions", but warned that all refusals to provide information under the act would have to be fully justified.

He controversially ruled in 1999 that details of expenses claimed by members of the Dáil and Seanad should be made public, and two years later expressed concern at the overall rate at which requests were being refused.

Mr Murphy is married to Kay, a native of Co. Mayo, and the couple have three daughters, a son and a number of grandchildren.

He is an avid soccer and Gaelic football fan following Shamrock Rovers and also enjoys gardening.